UKC

Anyone use something like this when using an inflatable mat whilst camping?

https://www.flextail.com/products/max-pump-3

It was my first time using a Nemo mat, and the Vortex bag a few nights ago. 
No issues... but luckily it was good weather so could stand outside tent with mat inside and inflate..

However, doing this inside the tent if the weather was bad could be a little interesting so these could, theoretically, be very handy.

Anyone use one? Good, bad... Instagram Hype??

 

I've got a similar product, can't remember the name, I'm away from home.

It's a little luxury, worth its weight. Particularly good for deflating a mat fully for easy packing.

For backpacking I wouldn't bother tbh. I use a neoair amd inflating it by blowing takes a minute max, even inside a tent or tarp. Deflation (rolling) takes a little longer, but not much. Carrying gadgets, even sub-150g, is something I try to avoid and their weight/space adds-up. For a luxury I'd rather carry something psychologically usedul like a mini coffee press.

Probably useful for car camping though.

They're good, and I have one, but rarely use it as its so quick to inflate my Exped thing with the provided inflation sack. I can do that in my tent, but I tend to have a 2 person tent which helps with space issues if in bad weather.

Try not to inflate by mouth if you've got a down insulated mat, and best to avoid it anyway, as it adds moisture that can ultimately cause mould that affects the bonds between baffles. Not that I haven't spent 3 years topping up Thermarests by mouth with no issue, but the modern tube lightweight mats do seem to be affected more, especially if filled.

I've got the Zero pump, bought last year when they had a silly sale on: https://www.flextail.com/products/zero-pump

It's a bit weedy, which was pretty much as expected, but does help top up my mats without me blowing in them too much - still need a couple of breaths to get perfect pressure. Bought partly because I'm a Cub leader and lots of the kids now turn up to camps with SIMs and no idea how to use them!

However, it does come into it's own for holidays, where it takes up minimal space in a case - I've added a sealant gun nozzle and it was brilliant for pumping up the kids' pool inflatables.

The better solution I've found for inflatable camping mats is the Sea To Summit Jet Stream pump sack - IF it fits the valve on your mat. Happily, this also works as a stuff sack for my minimalist bike packing mat.

Agree. I have a Sea to Summit 'pump sack' which doubles up as storage for sleep mat in my rucksack. I have a 1 person side entry tent and don't have any problems either inflating it or deflating it in the tent.

For me, I'd rather use that 120g for something irreplaceable or save the weight. Fine for car camping or short overnighters though.

Interesting, thanks - I wasn't aware of that. My pad isn't down filled but it does apparently have some kind of complex internal baffle structure. It came with some kind of inflation bag which I've never bothered using. Will have to see if I still have it and how well it works.

Still unlikely to carry an electric pump though.

It looks brilliant for sea kayaking. I will get one, thanks!

I think this is a myth.  There was a YouTube video (Always Another Adventure - I think), where he chopped up an old Thermarest, that he’d been inflating by mouth for years, and there was no mould.  I appreciate that’s only one video but there’s always varying decrees of moisture in the air, whether mats are inflated by mouth or not.

I’ve seen the inside of a mates Thermarest (older foam filled) which had been used for years; it was full of mold.

I have a Thermarest mini electric pump (received as a gift)…..very weedy.

Maybe. My Thermarest SIMs were fine as I say, even when looking really manky. The one Exped I had that I blew up by mouth had clearly visible mould inside and baffles failed after a few years (friends also had issues with different mats). There does seem some logic to not having moist air inside, as it will struggle to ever dry completely I guess. Either way, I find the inflation bag technique quick and really easy (approx 5-6 "squeezes" to inflation on a 7cm mat so am no longer a mouth blower! 

I bought an earlier model. Is was crap - didn't inflate my Alpkit mat anywhere close to firm.

I like the idea of not having to fill it with moist air, but unless it's improved I'd avoid.

Should add, I've also got a Camping Gaz 4D pump - so-called, because it runs on 4x D-cell batteries. It was a freebie at a camping exhibition when I bought an air bed.

Also a bit weedy, tbh - struggles to even pump past the reed in the one-way valve, so have to take that out, blow it up most of the way, then put the valve back in and, usually, top up by mouth. And gets worse as the batteries run down.

It's OK for car camping, but you definitely woudn't want to backpack with it!

Fair enough.  The YT video I was referring to was this one https://youtu.be/Bf17uChK_H0?si=ZArCnRdYJjH8oTp4

My friend had a Neoair Xlite which starts translucent yellow (thin material) and ended up black with mould inside, so it's not a myth.

I top mine up by breath but always do most of it with a pump-sac. 

Some great replies.. Thanks all.. 

I think I'll hold off, and next time will try to inflate whilst in the tent with the vortex bag... And see how that pans out! 

It's not just mould (the Youtube video "debunking" mould is just full of crap – can't rule out something with n=1 samples), some glues might be also affected by the moisture. Slow hydrolysis of polyurethanes is a well‑known thing (ever had your old PU tent lining turn to sticky mess?), and depending on the mat materials used, could potentially lead to premature de‑lamination.

I just use a pump sack, though. Not that I'd be afraid to inflate it by mouth now and than, but it's easier and better to avoid a potential failure much later.

Flextail tiny pump 2 was my son's favourite 'luxury' when thru hiking the pct this year (I brought one out for him half wy through) - so much less faff than blowing or pump sack. Plus you set it going and get on with the rest of your camp set up then come back to an inflated mat, great at the end of a tough day 

We were using it on thermarest neoair and xtherm mats

The Flextail Tiny Pump x2 is useful as it doubles as a pretty good lantern/torch.

I use one of these for inflating my seas to summit down filled mat.

https://www.flextail.com/products/tiny-pump-x

I'm really happy with it. Only 45g and it includes a really nice diffused light which saves the battery life on the headtorch and provides a nicer light as well.

One other case where using a pump sack or an air pump can be actually helpful – winter camping.

Your breath is ~38°C. What do you think happens once that warm air cools down, inside the mat, down to the ambient -10°C?

Pressure drop, up to around 20% in this case (if I got my half‑remembered physics right). Meaning you either have to over‑inflate, or your mat will deflate much more during the night as the air inside drops down to ambient temps.

I haven't got one myself but a friend has got one that doubles up as a small but decent tent lantern, 

Hmm.. Some good positives coming in.. 

Thanks for the replies... 

I'm now back to very undecided! Ha! 

You can see the black mould in my thermarest, grim but ultimately I don’t really care enough to buy a little pump.

Those bag style pumps are so good why bother with a motor for small mats? And you can use them as a stuff sack

Some of the pump bags supplied weigh almost as much as the mats that they come with. I've discarded a couple.

Something I noticed earlier today is that Lomo are doing a combination of a dry bag and pump, which seems like a great combination to me, although I’ve blown into thermarests for years and years with no issues https://www.lomo.co.uk/products/blow-dry-bag-air-pump-sack/

Exactly!! Great link.

One difference is not adding lung moisture to the mat

Really?? Been lucky enough not to see any heavy ones, so far...